A Manual Of Morris Dances Folk-songs And Singing Games With Sheet Music And Instructions

Repeat with the right hand dancer of the second couple. Top couple then take hands and dance down the lines and back, top couple and second couple take hands and dance round each other and change places. The top couple repeat dance with third couple ; after changing places with them they dance with fourth couple, and so on down the line until they have danced with every couple. The second couple, when they have changed places with top couple, stand still while top couple dance with third couple, but when they have changed places and top couple are dancing with fourth couple, the second couple dance with third and follow top couple down the line, and so on with every other couple ; when they get to the top they stand still once, and then start dancing down the line until all are dancing.

ABINGDON DANCES. SALLY LUKER—

This is a corner dance. It differs from the previous dances in that the centres never take part, only the four at each corner. The evolutions are as follows :—

Dance down and back to eight bars of the music in same formation as in previous dances, but don't turn.

Face partners and dance. 8 bars.

First corners back-to-back. 8 bars.

Second corners copy. 8 bars.

Dance eight bars in position, facing partners.

All dance round to right in circle, when half way face partners, 8 bars ; return to places, 8 bars.

Dance in position, facing partners, for eight bars, then gradually get into a big circle for eight more bars, and at end all jump on both feet into centre.

Throughout this dance the step is :—

Spring on the right.

Spring on the left.

Spring on the right and hop on the right.

Then :—

Spring on the left.

Spring on the right.

Spring on the left, and hop on left.

Thus the step is much the same as the polka step, and the feet should be moved in the same way, and not thrust forward as in the other dances. When the hop is made, the unemployed foot is kicked out behind. The movement of the dancer is from side to side with each group of steps, right when he begins on the right, left when he begins on the left. The hands are moved as follows :—

In corners, back-to-back, a different step is used, as follows : the right foot is slightly raised behind, the body is bent forward, and four slight hops are given on left foot ; this takes one bar ; you then hop four times on right foot and put left up in front, and so on for seven bars ; the hands go down when foot is raised behind, up when the foot is raised in front. On the 8th bar the spring is made as described in the previous paragraph.

PRINCES ROYAL—

The steps for this dance are the same as "Sally Luker," with the exception of a side step to be described below.

The evolutions are as follows :—

Dance down and back, and spring. 8 bars.

Face partners and dance. 8 bars.

Side step. 6 bars.

Clap both hands on ist and 2nd beats ; on 3rd beat put right hand out towards partner. Repeat this for next bar. 2 bars.

Leaders, walking, change places with the bottom couple, middles stand a few paces back that they may pass easily. 4 bars.

Side step. 6 bars.

Repeat clapping. 2 bars.

Leaders return to their places. 4 bars.

Dance for 16 bars as " Sally Luker."

Jump to centre.

Side step.—Both sides start with the right foot, taking four steps to the right and drawing up left foot, with the right hand up, and left hand just out in front, then four to the left, drawing up right foot, with the left hand up. Then take two to the right, right hand up ; two to the left, left hand up ; then clap hands. All this is done facing partners.

Note that there is a spring and hop at the end of each movement as in " Sally Luker."

A-NUTTING WE WILL GO—

In this dance the set stand in the same formation as for other dances, and the step throughout, hands and feet, is the same as in " Sally Luker."

Dance down and back, turn. 8 bars.

Up back face. 8 bars.

Dance facing partner. 8 bars.

Back to back, as in " Country Gardens." 8 bars.

Dance facing partners. 8 bars.

Back to back again.

Dance facing partners. 8 bars.

Then gradually spread out into big circle at end of

another 8 bars. All make a jump into centre with

hands up.

In this dance, as in " Sally Luker" and " Princes Royal," a jump is made at end of every 8 bars.